Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SR 900: Culbreath, Phenola; commend
Last action March 4, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution commends Phenola Culbreath, an Atlanta native and one of Delta Air Lines' first Black flight attendants, for her decades of career achievement.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This is a commendation resolution, a type of measure the Georgia General Assembly uses to formally honor a person's achievements rather than to change any law. It has no regulatory or funding effect. The resolution recounts Phenola Culbreath's life story: born in Atlanta in 1946, educated in Atlanta Public Schools and Clark College, and among the first Black employees at Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company before becoming one of Delta Air Lines' first Black stewardesses. It notes her 36 years of service at Delta before retiring in 2001. The Senate resolves to recognize and commend her achievements and directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide her with a copy of the resolution.
What the bill does
- Formally commends Phenola Culbreath by name for her career achievements and civic contributions, with no legal or regulatory effect.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Phenola Culbreath.
- Recites biographical facts about her education, career at Southern Bell and Delta Air Lines, and her 2001 retirement as the basis for the commendation.
Who it affects
This resolution directly names and honors one individual, Phenola Culbreath. It has no regulatory effect on the public, businesses, or government agencies beyond directing Senate staff to distribute a copy of the document to her.
Why it matters
The resolution carries no legal weight and changes no Georgia law. Its significance is symbolic: it places an official Senate record recognizing Culbreath's life, including her role as one of Delta Air Lines' first Black flight attendants, into the state's legislative history.
Key provisions
- The resolving clause recognizes and commends Phenola Culbreath for her career achievements and extends best wishes for her continued health and happiness.
- A further resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to Phenola Culbreath.
Discussed in meetings (1)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate floor session, March 9, 2026 (legislative day 29)
From 1:04:12 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The Senate adopted SR 900 without objection to honor a retired Delta Air Lines flight attendant. The resolution credited the honoree with being among the first Black employees at Southern Bell and among Delta's first Black flight attendants, followed by 36 years of service at Delta. The presenting senator celebrated the honoree during Women's History Month and highlighted the honoree's Atlanta roots and education at what is now Clark Atlanta University. The honoree thanked the Senate and family members, recalled that an observation flight was their first airplane trip, and described a career flying domestic and international routes.
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Tonya Anderson (D, SD-43)
- Gail Davenport (D, SD-17)
- Kenya Wicks (D, SD-34)
- Harold Jones II (D, SD-22)
- Elena Parent (D, SD-44)
- Donzella James (D, SD-28)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-15)
- RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-38)
- Randal Mangham (D, SD-55)
- Freddie Powell Sims (D, SD-12)
- David Lucas (D, SD-26)
- Nabilah Parkes (D, SD-7)
- Sheikh Rahman (D, SD-5)
- Derek Mallow (D, SD-2)
- Emanuel Jones (D, SD-10)
Topics
- Senate commendation resolution
- Georgia civil rights history
- Delta Air Lines
- Atlanta history